Measuring environmental factors can enhance the search for disease causing genes?
Date
2004
Authors
Dwyer, Terence
Ponsonby, Anne-Louise
Stankovich, James
Blizzard, Leigh
Easteal, Simon
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
British Medical Association
Abstract
The value of the concurrent measurement of environmental factors in studies aimed at the discovery of disease causing genes has been questioned on the grounds that such an approach fails to increase study power. This report discusses the issue and shows with examples from the recent literature that the examination of a gene disease association within an environmental subgroup can provide enhanced opportunities for detecting gene effects. The concurrent collection of environmental as well as genetic factors in studies of disease aetiology may enhance study informativeness and validity in several ways, including an increase in the power of the study to detect gene disease associations.
Description
Keywords
Keywords: alcohol dehydrogenase; amine oxidase (flavin containing) isoenzyme A; beta 2 adrenergic receptor; cytochrome P450 1A1; glutathione transferase; pesticide; genetics; aggression; alcohol consumption; antisocial behavior; article; cigarette smoking; DNA poly
Citation
Collections
Source
Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health
Type
Journal article